


Chocolate and Kitty Chan

by scribblemoose



Series: Ronin [2]
Category: Weiß Kreuz
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-05-18
Updated: 2003-05-18
Packaged: 2017-10-08 21:26:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 16,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/79661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scribblemoose/pseuds/scribblemoose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thus spring begins: old<br/>stupidities repeated<br/>new errs invented</p><p>Issa</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"I swear I never want to go to another nightclub ever again."

Ran smirked and prodded the heap of bedclothes next to him. "Are you sure you're feeling well, Yohji?"

A tousled head emerged from under the quilt and scowled at him. "That's a stupid question, Fujimiya. And, ow. And why's it still dark?"

"You've still got your sunglasses on," said Ran.

"Oh." Yohji frowned, but made no move to alter this state of affairs.

"It's time to get up, Yohji. It's your shift."

"Fuck off," said Yohji, retreating, tortoise-like, back under the covers. "I was working 'til the fucking sun came up. I can't possibly do the morning shift."

"No," agreed Ran. "That's why I swapped shifts with you, and you're doing the afternoon shift. And it's afternoon."

A distant moan came from the midst of the comforter.

"Don't be a baby, Kudoh. You shouldn't have been drinking on the job anyway."

Yohji squealed indignantly from his cosy hiding place. "Didn't touch a drop," his muffled voice insisted. "Why do you think I feel so bad?"

Ran firmly peeled back the quilt to reveal a cowering and naked Yohji. Well, naked except for a rather appealing emerald green velvet choker around his neck, and one less appealing sock on his left foot.

Ran arched his brow.

"Do you have any idea," whimpered Yohji, "how deathly, deathly _dull_ it is to talk to people and watch people and be around people when they're rat-arsed and you're completely sober?"

"Hn." Ran's expression made it perfectly clear that he knew exactly what it felt like.

"Oh. Well, you'll know why I'm not a happy Balinese, then," said Yohji.

"Hn."

Yohji considered for a minute.

"Is it really that bad when we go clubbing?"

"Unless you get me drunk first, yes."

"Oh." Yohji grinned sheepishly at him. "Sorry. Forgive me?"

Ran let his eyes rove over the rich expanse of golden skin before him, the long limbs, slender waist, the dark blonde hair falling over leanly-muscled shoulders. Huge green eyes twinkling hopefully at him over the top of ridiculous sunglasses.

He sighed. "I suppose."

Yohji grinned, and deftly pulled Aya down beside him. "You won't regret it," he said. "Promise. Next time we won't even consider going through the doors until we're both completely tanked."

"Next time is tonight," Aya reminded him. "And we'll be working."

Yohji groaned. "Not again. Where this time?"

"Ace."

"That's a gay club," whined Yohji. "I always get hit on in gay clubs."

"Which is why I'm coming with you."

"To defend my virtue?" smirked Yohji. "I'm touched."

Ran gave him a withering look. "To give you the room to do your job properly," he said. "They'll leave you alone if you're with me, and you can get on with detecting. Or whatever it is you do."

Yohji propped himself up one elbow, and pushed his sunglasses up onto his head. "That's not the real reason," he said.

Ran opened his mouth, ready with a quick denial, but Yohji kissed him before he had the chance to speak, teasing the tip of his tongue with his own.

Ran pulled back with a gasp. "How many cigarettes did you get through last night? Because you taste…" he cut off his own sentence this time, pulling Yohji to him to return his kiss with interest, their lips melting together as their tongues fenced.

This time it was Yohji who had to come up for air. "So what's the real reason?" he panted. "And tell me quickly because I'm going to rip your clothes off in a minute."

"It's Saturday," said Ran. "I haven't seen you all week. I missed you."

Yohji gaped at him. "Me?" he mouthed, suddenly robbed of the full powers of speech.

"Yes," said Ran. "God alone knows why, but I like being with you."

Yohji's eyes were like saucers. "I have to fuck you now," he explained.

"Okay," said Ran, with a grin, and sat up to pull his sweater over his head.

"Hang on," said Yohji anxiously, watching the sweater as it fell to the floor. "Am I awake?"

Ran cast his eyes down Yohji's body and settled, with a smirk, between his legs. "Looks like it to me," he said.

Yohji made a noise that sounded suspiciously like an 'eep' and quickly set about helping Ran out of his jeans, before he changed his mind.

"Just one thing, Yohji…"

"What?" Yohji's heart sank, waiting for the catch.

"Take that stupid sock off, eh?"

Yohji looked down at his feet and grinned ruefully. "Oh," he said, toeing it off. "Fuck, I forgot this too…" his hands reached under his hair to release the velvet choker.

"Oh no," Ran kicked his underwear swiftly down to the bottom of the bed and pinned Yohji's hands above his head, swinging one leg over Yohji's hips to sit astride him. "That stays."

Yohji's eyes widened. "Well, imagine that," he drawled. "You like it, huh?"

"Shut up," said Ran, and leaned down to kiss him, just to be on the safe side.

Yohji sank back into the mattress, his wrists crossed limp and unresisting under Ran's hold. Ran trailed feather kisses from his throat to his chest, pausing to swirl his tongue round each of Yohji's nipples in turn, raising them swiftly to stiff peaks. Denied the power of his fingertips, Yohji answered Ran's caresses by hitching his legs around his lover's waist, pressing his belly against Ran's stiff cock and shifting until their erections were rubbing together, hardness to hardness. Ran groaned softly and reached down with his spare hand, grasping both shafts in his swordsman's grip and squeezing them firmly, flesh to flesh.

"Fuck, Ran… oh fuck, that's good…"

"Mmmm…" Ran circled his hips, his eyes squeezed shut for a moment, lips damp and slightly parted. He looked so beautiful that it made Yohji moan, and he had to check yet again that he was really awake. Not that his dreams were ever this good.

It was getting harder to keep from pulling his arms out of Ran's grasp; he wanted very badly to touch the pale skin, to torment his lover's body and make him cry out with pleasure. On the other hand, there was something to be said for this passivity, for lying under Ran's lean body in forced surrender, letting him take his time and have everything his own way for once.

Ran licked the corded muscle of Yohji's stretched arms, from his shoulders to his thin, pinned wrists, and back again to nuzzle his neck, licking his ear, pulling gently on the little hoop earring with his teeth.

"Remind me to get some handcuffs," he husked. "I like you like this."

Any verbal protest Yohji might have attempted would have been immediately rendered null by the way his cock leapt in Ran's hand at the suggestion.

Yohji moaned again; Ran had a way of making him surprise himself, however unshockable he thought he was. For a man who radiated sobriety and duty like a beacon, Ran's sexual imagination was more than equal to anything Yohji might come up with in bed. Or anywhere else, for that matter.

"You want me, Kudoh?"

Yohji left it to his body to answer that question, aware that the urgent press of his cock and the sweep of his tongue up Ran's throat were far more eloquent than the rapidly diminishing vocabulary he had at his disposal.

"Fuck yes," he managed, begging a kiss from Ran's moist lips and grinding his hips against Ran's, bone to bone.

He took some satisfaction in the slight tremble he noticed in the pale hand that searched under the pillow by his head.

Ran started suddenly, snatching his hand back as if he'd found a snake under Yohji's pillow.

"Shit!" he hissed.

"Wh…" started Yohji, but his unasked question was answered as one small black and white paw emerged from under the pillow, followed quickly by another. Yohji started to laugh.

"Ronin…" Ran growled, and sure enough the little cat emerged, yawning, from it's cosy sleeping place, ignoring Ran's fury and giving a small mew before it stalked away, jumping from bed to floor with a soft thump. "Why does that thing always have to sleep with you, Kudoh?"

"I'm good at sleeping," said Yohji. "I don't get all fidgety and throw it off the bed."

"I don't fidget."

Yohji raised an eyebrow.

"You steal the covers," Ran accused.

"You look better without them," Yohji countered. "Now, are you going to find the lube or what?"

Ran threw the pillow roughly out of the way with a curse, and grabbed the fat tube that lay underneath. This mild display of aggression sent a thrill up Yohji's spine; it added to his sense of vulnerability and his cock swelled in response.

He watched as Ran flipped the tube, and deftly squirted a blob one-handed into his own palm. He reached down between them, and Yohji claimed a kiss, releasing Ran's hips from the embrace of his long legs so he could slick his cock and Yohji's ass, bracing himself for the shock of cold against delicate skin. But it didn't arrive; instead a cool hand was wrapped around Yohji's shaft, spreading lubricant from top to bottom in firm sweeps.

Yep. Ran was full of surprises.

Yohji watched wide-eyed as Ran took the tube in his teeth to squeeze another generous blob of lube, onto his fingertips this time, his other hand still pinning Yohji's arms above his head. He moaned softly as Ran reached behind himself to grease his own ass; although Yohji was unable to see he could tell, by the sensual roll of Ran's hips and the expression on his face, when he had pushed a finger inside. Just the idea that Ran was ruthlessly fingering himself was enough to make Yohji seriously consider fighting for the freedom of his arms, just so that he could _watch_… But before he could do anything about it Ran had repositioned himself over Yohji's pelvis, grasping his straining erection and rubbing the precome coated head against his anus.

Yohji caught Ran's heated violet gaze and kept it as he renewed the clasp of his thighs around his lover's waist, pulling down with his legs as he pushed up with his hips, fighting to keep his eyes open and his breathing even as the head of his cock opened Ran's body and popped inside.

"God, Yohji…" barely a whisper, but enough to make Yohji's heart sing, that small vocalisation of his lover's pleasure.

"Ready for the rest?" Yohji husked.

Ran's answer was to sink his body down, impaling himself to the hilt of Yohji's substantial length with a deep groan.

Yohji's captive fingers clenched to fists, tendons flexing under Ran's firm yet gentle grasp, losing himself in the overwhelming sensation of slick, tight heat around his rock-hard cock. "God, Ran, that's good…"

Ran smiled at him in agreement, slowly circling his hips.

"I've got to fuck you," said Yohji. "I've got to move, I…"

Ran raised himself a little, just enough that Yohji could start to thrust a bit, withdrawing halfway before plunging back as Ran sank down on him again. Yohji was happy to let Ran set the rhythm, anything would have been fine so long as he could pound into the heaven of that wonderful body. Besides, it helped him to hold back from simply fucking his lover hard and fast and coming way too soon… instead he relaxed into the slow, deep thrusting that Ran commanded, feeling the pleasure of every plunge deep in his belly, his balls and his aching, blissful cock.

Ran was clearly determined to draw this out as long as he possibly could; whenever the pace started to pick up he'd stop, wriggling his body down to make sure he was as full as he possibly could be, and lean over to kiss Yohji into oblivion. Only when Yohji's hips trembled and his lips quivered under Ran's would he be allowed to move again, and then at the same slow pace as before. His fingers twitched to stroke Ran's neglected clock, to embrace its elegant curve, to spread the dripping precome over the flare of the head. When Ran finally gave in and touched himself, he confined himself to a few full length strokes at a time, before stopping and driving Yohji wild with his lips and his tongue and the perfect heat and suck of his sheath around Yohji's cock.

Yohji wasn't far off begging by the time Ran finally got serious, giving Yohji the freedom to slam his hips up, pounding Ran's ass mercilessly as Ran stroked himself hard and fast, his slender fingers a blur over his shaft. Then Ran threw his head back with long groan, and Yohji caught the first stream of come across his face and in his open mouth, the next few striping his chest and belly as he licked his lips. Somehow Yohji managed to wait, buried deep inside Ran's body until he'd finished, before he took his own pleasure with the same frantic rhythm that had brought Ran to his. He finally came with an intensity that was almost painful, his balls crawling up tight and forcing semen up his shaft to explode from the head, flooding Ran's insides over and over. He finished with a sigh, gradually releasing his bowed back to roll down onto the mattress, unclenching the tight muscles of his butt and thighs, and slowly becoming aware of Ran's fingers, swirling patterns in the cooling semen on his chest and belly.

"Agh," he said. "Fuck."

Ran glanced at him through long crimson lashes, and smiled.

Ran looked even more beautiful afterwards, Yohji reflected. A slight flush still highlighting his perfect cheekbones and sleek chest, his skin glowing, long cock gradually softening against his thigh, and soft, thick hair falling in his eyes; his movements slow and still sensual, seductive. His eyes glinted with satisfaction, and his body was relaxed, arranged comfortably over Yohji's, every point of touch still feeling like a caress to Yohji's sensitive skin.

Everyday feelings returned to Yohji's body, and he became aware of his arms aching with being over his head so long. He wriggled his hands a little and Ran released them, twining their fingers together as he leaned over to lick the come from Yohji's face.

"Oh," Yohji whimpered. "Oh, Ran, oh, God…"

His cock started to harden again with a twitch, making Ran wiggle his hips in surprise.

"No good Kudoh," he murmured. "It's your shift, remember?"

There was a tinge of regret in his voice that Yohji rather enjoyed.

"You really want to come to work with me tonight?" he asked.

"Yeah," said Ran. "Omi's staying in, he said he'd watch out for Aya-chan. They have some homework project to do together."

"Omi? Er… what about Ken?"

"Ken? He has football practice this afternoon, that usually goes on til sundown on a Saturday, after that I don't know… why? She'll be alright with Omi."

"Hmm. Well, yes, of course. What is it, exactly?"

"What's what?"

"This homework project."

Ran looked curiously at him. "It must be computers," he said. "Because that's the only class they take together, if you remember."

"Oh. Well, you know I have trouble keeping that stuff straight…" Yohji made a mental note to check with Omi exactly what this project was, and to make sure the kid understood precisely what would happen if it were to involve an exploration of anything other than the Internet. And very specific parts of the Internet, at that.

Ran was moving away, releasing Yohji's cock and leaving him bereft of warm body to snuggle against. Yohji liked to snuggle after sex, preferably while drifting happily off to sleep, or perhaps enjoying a cigarette. He most definitely didn't like going to work. Even a snuggle with a pillow was better than that.

He reached out for the covers, but Ran noticed and cruelly snatched them away.

"Shower, Kudoh. Then work."

"Make me coffee?"

"Not until you're in the shower."

"Oh, alright," moaned Yohji, and reluctantly dragged himself from his soft bed and out into the world beyond.

* * * * * * *

"Please, Oniichan?"

"No, Aya. I've told you before."

"You just want to keep me helpless." Her scissors attacked the rose stem she was holding, ignoring the thorns that pierced her skin as she clutched it too tightly.

Ran sighed deeply, looking across the worktable at her. "There's no need for you to be armed. You should be living a normal life, like a normal girl. Normal girls don't use swords."

"I'm not a normal girl, am I?" She winced as she pricked the palm of her hand yet again.

"Aya, let me look at that, you'll need antiseptic on it…"

"It's fine," she barked at him, slamming the scissors down on the table.

Yohji barely stifled his laughter from the other side of the room, where he was ostensibly re-pricing some potted arrangements.

"What's so funny, Kudoh?" said Aya and Ran, almost in unison.

"Nothing at all," murmured Yohji, suddenly losing his sense of humour under the power of two Fujimiya-strength glares.

"Yotan…"

Yohji's heart sank. Aya's sweet-as-syrup voice, drawing out the syllables of his pet name, meant one thing. Kudoh Yohji was in trouble.

"Yes, sweetheart?" he ventured, cautiously.

"You think I should be able to defend myself, don't you?"

He could feel Ran's eyes burning into him, just waiting to pounce if he said the wrong thing. And not a good kind of pounce, either. "Of course, sweetheart. But you already can. That's what the Aikido classes were for, remember?"

"Yes, but… what if…"

Ran's stern voice cut across hers. "That's enough, Aya. I said no. It's not right for a… it's not right, that's all."

Yohji let out a little sigh of relief as she turned her glare back to her brother. "A woman!" she yelled. "You were going to say it's not right for a woman to use a sword!"

"No! I…" Ran paled visibly at the expression on her face. "A girl, I was going to say a…"

_Ouch_, thought Yohji.

"You're impossible!" She threw the butchered rose and the scissors at him, and scrabbled to undo the knot in her apron as Ran deftly caught her missiles. "You have no idea what it's like to be a woman around here, with all you fucking _men_ everywhere!"

"Aya!"

Yohji noted that Ran was apparently more shocked at Aya swearing than that she'd thrown sharp, pointed objects at him.

Aya gave up on trying to undo her apron, pulling it savagely over her head instead. "I'm sick to death of it," she screamed, irritably brushing sudden tears from her eyes. "Arrange your own fucking flowers. I'm going out."

"Aya!" Ran started after her as she flounced out of the back door, towards their apartment, but Yohji stopped him with one calm hand to his shoulder.

"Steady, Ran. Leave this to me, eh?"

Yohji saw the conflict on Ran's face, before he finally relaxed under Yohji's touch and nodded. "Thanks," he murmured.

"Not a problem." Yohji gave him a sidelong grin as he left the room. "Look after the shop 'til I get back, huh?"

* * * * * * *

"Hey, Sweetheart? Can I come in?"

The question was rhetorical, at least from Yohji's point of view. He opened the door just in time to see her stuff something under her pillow, although he didn't quiet catch what it was.

"Fuck off, Kudoh."

He laughed. "Doesn't work with me, I'm afraid," he said. "Ran's the one with the easily offended sensibilities, remember? I'm the thick-skinned dimwit."

He thought he saw the twitch of a smile before she buried her face in her pillow.

Ronin watched her from the nightstand, his head on one side, and gave a little burrup noise.

"See? You have the cutest kitten in the world." Yohji crossed to the bed and sat cautiously on the edge. "Things can't be that bad."

Aya-chan reached out and grabbed a surprised Ronin, settling him close to her neck and stroking him within an inch of his life. He started to purr, although Yohji thought to himself that was probably an act of diplomacy as much as pleasure on the cat's part.

"Swords are difficult for Ran," said Yohji, deciding it was probably as well to get straight to the point. "Don't forget he uses his katana every day, and he kills people with it. I think it's the killing he doesn't want you involved in."

"It's my father's katana." She raised her head, normally pale cheeks stained pink with crying. "My father never killed anyone with it. It doesn't have to be for killing."

"Oh, sweetheart," Yohji reached out to stroke her hair, but pulled his hand back sharply when she flinched irritably from him. "It does for Ran, I'm afraid."

"Well then, you teach me the wire," she said, a wicked gleam in her eyes.

The thought made Yohji feel sick to his stomach. He looked at her long fingers, gently mussing Ronin's silky fur, twining round his stiff little tail, and for a moment he could see her wrapping a wire around them, snapping it taut…

"No," he said, his voice choked. "Ran's right. It's not… There's no need for you to get involved in any of that."

Her eyes narrowed. "I knew you'd take his side! You always do! Now fuck off out of my room and leave me alone!"

Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks, making Yohji's heart ache. She hardly ever cried. Well, except…

"Are you feeling okay, Aya?"

"What part of fuck off don't you understand? Shouldn't you be working? Oh, no, of course, this would be part of your plan to stick Ran with a double shift again, I suppose!"

That hurt. Yohji couldn't remember the last time he'd asked Ran to work a double for him. Ken, maybe, when he'd wanted so badly to show Ran the new delivery of compost in the greenhouse last week…

"Aya…"

"Leave me alone!"

"Alright," he got to his feet. "But just think about what I said. Ran's only trying to do what's best for you." _And so am I. But I suck at it._

"Ran's trying to wrap me up in cotton wool until I fucking suffocate."

Yohji sighed.

"You're not really going out, are you, Aya-chan?" he said.

"Of course not. Where would I go? It's bad enough having the embarrassment of a permanent escort, without the shame of Ran coming and dragging me off the street if I dared to go anywhere by myself."

"You've got to understand what he went through while…"

"No!" She sat up suddenly, a startled Ronin scampering under the bed for safety. "I do understand. Fuck knows you've all told me often enough! That's not the point. Does anyone ever stop to think what _I_ went through? I was asleep for two whole years! I missed out on school and parties and grieving for my parents, and my first kiss and all the other things my friends had done by the time I woke up. I lost so much, Yohji, and now all you and Ran want to do is stop me from having any of it now I'm awake! I'd have been better off if you'd left me asleep! At least then I didn't know what I was missing!"

Yohji swallowed hard.

"Aya, I had no idea…"

"No. Well, you do now. So go tell Ran-katana-up-his-arse-san that I'm going to be a good girl and stay put. Then you can all stop worrying about me and LEAVE ME ALONE!"

She shoved her head back into the pillow, her shoulders heaving with huge sobs.

Defeated, Yohji slunk obediently out of the room.

* * * * * * *

Omi came sadly down the stairs, and set a tray laden with soup and an assortment of Aya's favourite fruit carefully on the table.

"She says she's not hungry," he said, confusion plain in his huge cornflower-blue eyes.

"What did you say to her, Yohji?" growled Ran.

"Nothing! She was… I said what you'd said, that's all."

"She was crying," said Omi. "She said she was sorry."

"She never cries," observed Ken.

"No," agreed Yohji, a sudden thought returning to him. "Unless…"

The four assassins surveyed each other with the kind of serious trepidation with which they embarked on their more challenging missions.

Yohji glanced at the calendar on the wall and counted swiftly on his fingers.

"I thought so," he said, grimly. "Chocolate, guys. Do we have any chocolate?"

The others looked at each other, shaking their heads.

"Ran," said Yohji, "go buy chocolate. Now. Lots of it. And this time take money. We don't want a repeat of the vending machine incident."

"Manx was scaring Omi," said Ran in a dangerous voice.

"She really was," murmured Omi.

"Never mind that. Money's easier, believe me."

"Alright," said Ran, getting to his feet and pulling his car keys from his pocket. "Want a lift to soccer practice, Ken?"

"Thanks," said Ken, enthusiastically. "My kit's in the hall, I'll pick it up on the way out. Come on." He looked positively relieved to be leaving the house.

"I'll go and see if we've got ice cream," said Omi, scraping his chair back. "That might do as a stop gap." Ken clattered his way out of the door, followed by a tutting Ran.

"Hang on just a minute." The overhead light glinted dangerously off Yohji's sunglasses. "You and I need a little chat first."

"Yohji-kun?" Omi's eyes went even rounder and more innocent-looking than ever.

Yohji's determination failed him a little. Surely Omi wouldn't… sweet, innocent Omi? What was he thinking?

"If it's about Aya-chan, Aya-kun's already asked me to look after her. We have a project we're working on for school, and I think it's a good idea for the two of you to spend some time together. You know I'm always happy to…"

"Oh yes, Chibi." Suddenly all of Yojhi's fears were re-ignited as he remembered exactly how willing Omi was to be Aya's personal taxi, bodyguard and homework-buddy. Especially when he and Ran were out of the picture for some reason. "I know you are. That's what I need to talk to you about."

"Yohji-kun?"

Eyes as big as dinner-plates and as blue as the summer sky. Omi was naïve innocence personified.

"Omi, when you look after Aya-chan…"

"Yes, Yohji-kun?"

"Do you ever feel… I mean do you…"

"Do I what, Yohji-kun?"

Yohji pushed his sunglasses up onto the top of his head, in the vague hope that Omi might look less innocent if lit more brightly.

"If you were ever to…"

"Yohji-kun." Omi gently put his little hand on top of Yohji's, with a reassuring squeeze. "It's okay. I'll protect her with my life. You and Aya-kun can trust me."

Yohji could practically hear Ran's voice in his head: _Never trust a Takatori_.

But Omi wasn't a Takatori anymore. He was just Omi. Of course he'd never take advantage of Aya-chan. _What kind of paranoid hentai have you turned into, Kudoh Yohji?_

"Of course we can," Yohji heard himself say. "Thank you Omi. I just wanted you to know we appreciate it, is all."

Omi beamed. "It's no trouble," he said. "No trouble at all."

A voice shrilled down the stairs at ear-splitting volume.

"Have any of you stupid men got any fucking chocolate? I need chocolate!"

Omi's smile faded.

Just a little.

* * * * * * *

Ran had been right, his presence did deter anyone from attempting to pick up Yohji, despite the very sexy suede pants that sat low on Yohji's hips, the slashed, sleeveless crop top that showed off his slender, toned body, or the emerald choker that was making its second appearance in as many nights. Yohji had hoped Ran might fend off potential admirers by making it clear to the world that Yohji was his, preferably through continuous flirting, touching, and the occasional judicious application of a shi-ne glare to the more persistent members of Tokyo's gay community.

Sadly that wasn't the case. No-one attempted to pick up Yohji for a much simpler reason.

They were too busy trying to pick up Ran.

Yohji was a naturally jealous and possessive person, and, he would be the first to admit, just a little vain.

Yohji wasn't happy.

He sat at the bar, drinking water, which did nothing to make the garage music pounding in his head sound any more interesting than having a bullet removed from your thigh. Which, as it happened, Yohji could testify from personal experience.

"Cheer up, Kudoh," came Ran's soft baritone through the bedlam of the music.

"Another?" said the barman, reaching out for Yohji's empty glass.

Yohji nodded. "With ice," he said.

"And for you?" The smile he offered Ran was warmer, Yohji noticed. Much.

"Yes please," said Ran, sliding onto the stool next to Yohji's, apparently oblivious to the barman's wink.

"This place is dead," said Yohji miserably. "They wouldn't be here on a Saturday, for fuck's sake. What was Manx thinking?"

"She said they'd had a tip-off," said Ran. "A new source. Must be unreliable."

Yohji noticed a drop-dead gorgeous piece of male perfection sauntering casually towards the bar just to the other side of Ran. He snarled menacingly, and his face broke into a grin as the other man smoothly turned and walked off in the opposite direction.

To his surprise he felt Ran's fingers thread through his.

"You want to dance?" Ran whispered in his ear, gently nipping his earlobe with sharp teeth.

Yohji groaned softly, his teeth clicking against the side of his glass. "Anything," he murmured.

"I like it when you get all territorial," came the voice in his ear as they headed for the dance floor. "Sometimes. Sometimes it annoys the fuck out of me."

Yohji gave him a curious look. "And those other times? When you like it?"

"Then it makes me want to throw you on the floor and fuck you senseless."

Yohji draped his arms over Ran's shoulders and started to grind his hips sensuously against him, almost purring with pleasure. Ran was wearing snug leather pants and a soft silk shirt that left a tempting amount of pale skin bare at his chest; Ran's hair was thick and soft against Yohji's face, and smelt of strawberry shampoo; Ran's body was moving sensuously against his; Ran was holding him possessively and showing the world that Yohji was his; Ran was kissing him, sliding his tongue inside his mouth and making him dizzy with lust.

The night was looking up after all.

* * * * * * *

Hidaka Ken concealed himself carefully behind a tree, and watched.

He was dimly aware that he was shivering, but then, it was a chilly night.

He couldn't say what had made him duck away from the pavement and hide like this, just an instinct that was too finely honed, that had saved his life too often to be ignored.

He could just about make out a figure in the distance, a silhouette that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

It couldn't be. Could it?

* * * * * * *

Yohji dragged himself away from Ran's kiss in order to snatch air into his lungs.

"Yohji… want you… d'you want…"

"Oh fuck, yes, lover. More than you could… hang on, who's that?"

"Who's who?" Ran raised his tousled head to follow Yohji's gaze out of the car window.

"It's… I just thought I saw someone I …" Yohji shook his head. "Probably a shadow, or something..."

"Let's go home Yohji," Ran sucked firmly on Yohji's earlobe. "I can't fuck you here and I want to fuck you so much…"

Yohji turned back to his lover, drank in the sight of pale skin flushed, lips moist and parted, violet eyes bright with lust.

"Now would be good," he groaned. "Take me home now, Ran."

Ran forced his hands away from Yohji's body, and started the car.

* * * * * * *

When they got back they found Omi by the back door, looking up and down the alley that ran alongside the garage.

"Everything alright, chibi?" said Yohji.

"I thought I heard something," said Omi. "But it was just a cat, I guess."

"Oh, that's alright then, great, goodnight," said Yohji, pulling Ran into the house behind him with indecent haste.

"Did you find out anything, Yohji-kun?"

_Damn. Of course. It was a stupid mission._

"No, no-one showed. Looks like Manx's contact was a dud. Which reminds me, I must have words with her about that, she…"

"She's here," said Ran. "That's her bag." He pointed to the small leather bag on the kitchen table. "What's she doing here at this time of night?"

"She just came to see Aya-chan," said Omi. "I thought it might cheer her up, you know, to have a woman around for a bit…"

"That's kind, chibi," said Yohji. "Are they upstairs? I could give Manx the report in person, save me the paperwork."

"No, they're downstairs, but I wouldn't…" Yohji was already moving for the stairs, and didn't notice the brief flash of panic on Omi's face.

But Ran did.

"What's wrong, Omi?" he said, his eyes narrowed to slits of dark purple.

"Nothing, but they asked not to be disturbed, Yohji, please don't…"

Yohji hesitated, looking at Omi with a frown.

Ran didn't hesitate for a second. He was down the stairs, three at a time, before the other two could stop him.

"Aya!"

Yohji bolted after him. "What's wrong? Is she… oh."

Aya stood in the middle of the briefing room, Manx leaning against the opposite wall.

Aya held her father's katana in a perfect grip.

Yohji reached out to touch Ran's arm, but he wrenched it away.

"Aya. Put that thing down. Now."

"Oniichan, I was only…"

"I don't care what you were doing. Put it down. Now."

"But…"

"I said _now_."

"No."

They stared at each other across the room, a silent battle of wills.

"Abyssinian…" said Manx softly.

"I'll deal with you in a minute," Ran snapped. "I'm waiting, Aya."

"You can wait as long as you like," said Aya in a low voice. "I want to do this, and you can't stop me."

"Aya, do as your brother says," said Yohji. "He'll play hell with me afterwards if you don't, and you don't want that, do you?"

"I don't give a toss, Kudoh. This is really important to me." She darted her gaze from Ran for a second to flash him a look. "And I can't take you seriously when you're dressed like a whore," she added.

Yohji fell silent, a little hurt.

Ran walked slowly toward Aya, one arm outstretched.

"Aya, give me the sword. It's not right that you should touch it, let alone hold it like that."

"Why? Because you're the only one in the family allowed to use it? Because you're the boy? Because you're the eldest? Why can you learn to defend yourself, while I have to depend on fucking babysitters all the time?"

"She's got a point," murmured Manx.

Ran ignored her, his eyes still firmly fixed on Aya. "Because swords aren't for defending yourself," he said. "Swords are for killing. Do you have any idea how many people I've killed with that sword, Aya? Can you imagine how much blood it's soaked in?"

"It's just a sword," said Aya, lowering her stance just a little.

"Give it to me, Aya. This has gone far enough."

"No. It's just a sword," she said. "You're the one who's drenched in blood."

Yohji could feel the pain shoot through Ran at those words, and it incensed him. "Aya, give him the fucking sword, and go to bed," he said. "Or I'll take it off you myself!"

She glared at him, but before she could speak Ran had made his move and disarmed her in a second. The katana clattered to the ground; Aya gave a scream of outrage, even as her eyes filled with tears.

"Go to bed, Aya," said Ran. "I'll talk to you in the morning."

She ran up across the room and up the stairs, pushing Yohji none-to-gently out of the way. He heard her swear at Omi before her footsteps clattered up the next flight of stairs to her room.

"And what the fuck do you think you're playing at?" Ran turned on Manx, holding his sword in a grip chillingly familiar to Aya-chan's.

"She wanted to learn how to defend herself," said Manx. "You should listen to her, both of you. She usually talks more sense than the pair of you put together." With that, Manx picked up her jacket from the back of a chair and stalked to the stairs, her heels clicking on the metal of the bottom step. "Have that report to me first thing Monday, alright?" She looked Yohji up and down with a critical eye. "She was right, Kudoh. You do look like a whore." Her face broke into a crooked grin. "Well done, Balinese."

Yohji took no notice. His eyes were fixed on Ran. He was breathing hard, still gripping his katana tight in one hand.

"Ran," he said, softly, when Manx had gone. "You did the right thing. Manx had no right…"

"She's right," he murmured.

"I don't think so. Kritiker probably want…"

"No, not Manx. Aya. I am drenched in blood. What kind of brother does that make me? I'm death and blood and violence."

"Ran, don't."

He turned to Yohji, his eyes cold and dark. "I don't deserve to have her back."

"Of course you do." Yohji retrieved the sheath of Ran's katana from the floor and offered it to him. "Put that thing away and come to bed. We'll sort it out in the morning."

Ran sheathed his sword with a click. "She's right," he said.

"No, she isn't," said Yohji. "If she was in her right mind she'd never have said such a thing. You shouldn't take any notice, it's the hormones talking. She would never normally speak to you that way."

"I bet she thinks it, though."

"Come to bed, Ran. Please. Things'll seem better in the morning."

"That's your answer to everything, isn't it? Block it out with liquor or fucking, and hope it'll go away?"

Yohji sighed. This wasn't a new argument, but fighting with more than one Fujimiya in one night was too much. "Have it your own way, Aya," he said. "I'm going to bed anyway. Join me if you want."

He turned wearily towards the stairs.

"Yohji, I… I'm…"

"It's okay. Baka. Come to bed."

Ran's footsteps fell in with his as they climbed the stairs.

* * * * * * *

Omi had wisely made himself scarce, Yohji noticed as they returned to the kitchen. It was gone three in the morning, and he was suddenly tired beyond belief, as well as horny. He waited for Ran to pour himself his customary glass of water to take to bed with him, and realised he could hear something strange.

"Is that a cat?" he said. "That howling noise?"

Ran shrugged. "Probably. Omi thought he heard a cat, earlier, remember?"

"Yeah. That's it, I expect. Only… it's coming from inside the house."

"Ronin?"

"Ronin doesn't make a noise like that. You know him, if it isn't cute he doesn't do it. And that's not cute. That's going to be fucking annoying if it carries on all night."

"I'm sure you'll cope, Kudoh."

Yohji went to the stairs and looked up. "Fuck me," he said. "It _is_ Ronin. He's sort of… howling outside Aya's door."

"She must have shut him out."

"She never does that. Poor neko-chan…"

"I suppose you want him to sleep with us?"

Yohji grinned. "It seems mean not to," he said. "The poor little chap's so distraught. Besides," his grin faded a little. "It might make him shut up that awful din." He started up the stairs.

"Oh, alright," said Ran, "I'm too tired to argue."

Yohji bent down to pick up the little black and white cat from it's station outside Aya-chan's door, and paused for a moment.

_That's odd._

She hadn't shut the cat out. The light was on and the door was open; just a crack, but plenty wide enough for a kitten.

He knocked gently on her door; there was no reply.

"Sweetheart? You okay?"

Silence.

With dread in his heart he pushed the door all the way open.

She wasn't there.

Yohji felt as though his heart had stopped for a moment; he sensed Ran behind him.

"Ran, she's…"

"AYA!"

Ronin sprang from Yohji's hold, ran to the open window, and wailed.

"Yohji-kun? Aya-kun?"

Omi appeared in the hall, wearing unbelievably cute pyjamas with little sheep on, Ken not far behind him.

Yohji spared a moment from his panic to berate himself for ever imagining that Omi might have had indecent designs on Aya-chan. No-one who wore pyjamas like that could ever have so much as a wet dream, he was convinced of it.

"She went of her own accord," he said to Ran, trying to breathe. "She took all the chocolate. And her bag. She'll be okay, Ran."

"I have to go get her." He pushed past Yohji, headed for the door.

"You don't know where she is!" Yohji turned to follow him.

"WAIT!" yelled Omi. "What happened?!"

"Aya's missing," Yohji shouted over his shoulder as he disappeared down the stairs after Ran, followed swiftly by Ken.

"Phone Keiko," said Omi. "She will have gone to Keiko's!"

Ran and Yohji stopped in their tracks and looked at each other; Ken charged onwards without a word, rushing through the kitchen and outside.

"He's right." Yohji pulled his phone swiftly out of his pocket and handed it to Ran. "That's where she'll have gone."

Ran dialled the number with trembling fingers. They could hear Ken in the street outside, calling Aya's name.

The others watched as Ran barked questions down the phone to Keiko's mother, waiting for the moment of relief to fall over Ran's face. It didn't come. Eventually he said goodbye and clicked the phone shut.

"She's not there," he said. "They haven't heard from her."

"Quick!" said Omi, startling them both. "Her phone, Aya-kun! It has a tracer on it, remember? Follow me downstairs and we'll find her on the computer."

They rushed down to the mission room and waited anxiously as Omi started the computer. Before the screen had leapt to life, Ken joined them.

He was breathing hard, panic all over his face.

"Have you found her?" he panted.

"Not yet," said Yohji. "Omi's going to pick up her signal from her phone."

"Don't bother," said Ken. "I found her bag a ways up the street. And I don't know if it means anything, but this was with it."

The three other assassins stared at the fuzzy black and white object in Ken's hands.

"Kitty-Chan?" said Yohji, incredulously.

"Oh no!" said Omi, distress clear in his huge eyes.

"What?" said Ran, irritated beyond belief and unable to think through the storm of emotions clouding his brain. "What the fuck has kitty-chan got to do with this?"

"It's Aya's, isn't it, Omi?" said Yohji, watching the youngest assassin closely.

"Yes," said Omi. "And she wouldn't have dropped it by accident. I know she wouldn't."

"But Aya doesn't have anything like that. I would have noticed," Ran said dismissively, still desperately trying to think.

"Yes she does," said Omi sadly, taking the cuddly toy from Ken and clasping it to his chest.

"And you should know, I guess," said Yohji, reassessing his opinion of Omi yet again.

"Yes," said Omi, hanging his head. "Because I gave it to her."

"You gave her a kitty-chan?!" said Ken. "Why would you give her a-"

"Why not?" said Yohji smoothly, keeping an eye on Ran, who thankfully was focused on searching Aya's bag for her phone. "It's sweet, Omi. A present to mark the day she got Ronin, yeah?"

Omi looked gratefully at him. "Yes," he said. "That's what it was, Yohji-kun."

Ken rolled his eyes. "Hey, Aya, found anything?"

"No," said Ran, "it's not here. Come on Omi, I want it traced, now!"

"Thank you, Yohji-kun," murmured Omi as he started to click at the keyboard.

Yohji leaned over his shoulder, ostensibly to scrutinize the map of Tokyo that was starting to form on the screen, and whispered into his ear.

"Don't thank me yet, Chibi. We have a little chat that's way overdue."

Omi gulped.

  
* * * * * * *

Aya stared sullenly at the wall, biting her lower lip.

"He'll come for me, and he'll kill you. You may as well let me go," she said.

"But Aya, my love," she caught a faint scent of lilies as he leaned over to whisper in her ear. "Where would be the fun in that?"

She glared at him.

"Fuck off, Schuldig," she said.


	2. Chapter 2

 

_Schuldig stood back and admired his handiwork with satisfaction. Another trap set and sprung, and he had Abyssinian captive before him, naked bar a pair of painted-on leather pants. He was shackled to the bars on the windows, cuffed hands raised above his head, ankles securely tied to a pipe that ran along the bottom of the wall. Schuldig stroked down the pale chest with the tip of the key from the handcuffs, and smiled crookedly._

_"You really are remarkably stupid, Abyssinian. You fall for it every time."_

_Aya glared at him, saying nothing, thinking of some things he'd like to do to Schuldig, which were, surprisingly, inventively cruel. The man clearly had hidden depths._

_"Let him go, you bastard."_

Ah. Balinese. Yum.

_"I might. That all depends on you, Kudoh."_

_Schuldig took a glance at the slender assassin out of the corner of his eye. Balinese's lean body showed no sign of the abuse it was subjected to by his reckless lifestyle, and was more than inspiring; Kudoh Yohji was dressed like a whore, and it suited him. Schuldig had wanted these strong, sexy bodies from the minute he'd seen the pair of them in the club, and here, at last, was his chance._

_Balinese looked at him, eyes narrowed, as he realised what Schuldig was hinting at._

_/If I let him fuck me, he'll let Aya and the girl go./_

_"That's right, Bali baby. You're brighter than you look."_

_"You're a sick, twisted bastard."_

_"Why, thank you. And clever. You forgot clever."_

_"Don't flatter yourself. The girl was right, as soon as Abyssinian gets free he'll kill you."_

_"Don't be so sure." Schuldig stroked the soft crimson hair back from Fujimiya's face. "He might decide he likes me better than you. He might want to stay."_

_Balinese just looked at him. He didn't even think anything, just glared hatred out of those vivid emerald eyes._

Yum.

_"If you're going to do it, get it over with," Kudoh hissed eventually. "I don't suppose you'll be able to last long. To be honest I'm surprised a sad little jerk like you can get it up to start with."_

_Schuldig laughed. He'd never had any complaints about his stamina, and he'd had a hard-on pretty much constantly since he'd spotted them in the club. What a happy accident it had been: sent by Crawford to warn some insignificant contact that Kritiker were on to them, and what should he find but these two, writhing indecently on the dance floor, a fantasy come to life. And as if_ that _wasn't enough, just after he'd followed them home and wistfully watched lights go on and off from across the street, contemplating a half dozen plans to persuade Crawford that some Weiss-tormenting was long overdue; just when he was about to go back to the club and pick himself a boy toy to work off some of the lust they'd inspired in him, who should cross his path - by climbing out of a_ window, _for fuck's sake - but Abyssinian's precious sister. Bait on legs. A gift from heaven._

T_his had to be Schuldig's lucky day._

_Here was Abyssinian, stripped half naked before him; Balinese, who was half-naked to start with, touchingly willing to do whatever it took to save his lover and the girl._

_Schuldig decided there and then that the price for their freedom would be high. He'd waited too long for this to let the faintest opportunity go to waste._

_"Get his dick out."_

_Balinese frowned. "What?"_

_"Undo these," Schuldig slapped Abyssinian's leather-clad thigh, "and get his dick out. Come on, I'm being kind here." He briefly kissed Abyssinian's grimly resisting mouth. "Give you something else to think about while I'm fucking you senseless."_

_He was gratified to see a flash of fear cross Kudoh's face, although he was quick to hide it._

_Balinese and Abyssinian looked at each other, consulting by glance. Abyssinian nodded, and Kudoh approached him slowly._

_"Sorry, baby," he whispered._

 _How touching._

 _Abyssinian caught his breath as his lover slowly undid his pants and pulled out his rapidly-hardening cock._

_"Stroke it. Make it good and hard."_

_Abyssinian glared at him over Kudoh's shoulder; he looked more stunning than ever. His body was clearly operating on a much more basic level than his mind; while his thoughts were busy persuading him that this was simply an ordeal to be endured for the sake of his sister, his cock was already stiff and leaking over his lover's reluctant fingers._

_/Fuck, Kudoh, that feels good. It shouldn't, not like this, but oh, baby, that feels good./_

 _That's it, my kitten. I had a feeling I could get you to like it here. Not that it matters whether you like it or not; it's all the same to me._

 _/God, Aya, I love the feel of your cock in my mouth. Even with this bastard watching, I just want to keep on touching you forever, licking and sucking you till I taste your come in my mouth…/_

_"Pants off, Balinese. Let's see if that cute little ass of yours looks as good naked."_

_/You'd better believe it/ Fujimiya was thinking, as Balinese took his hands away from his cock with a lingering touch to the damp tip, and obediently undid his low-slung suede pants. He stepped out of them and threw them carelessly to one side, keeping his eyes on Abyssinian all the time._

_"No underwear. My God, Kudoh, you really _are_ a whore."_

_Schuldig helped his victim out of his scrap of a top, taking the opportunity to run his fingers down the strong muscles of his back to his tiny waist._

_/Oh God, forgive me Aya baby, but the bastard feels so good… damn but I'm hard…/_

_"Suck him."_

_There was no resistance this time; Kudoh was eyeing Fujimiya's cock even as he undressed for Schuldig, and he eagerly clutched those pale hips and took the object of his desire between his lips. He was about to drop to his knees, but Schuldig caught him about the waist and held him up._

_"Just bend over, Kudoh. This end is mine."_

_There was a faint shudder along the body stretched out before him, but no revulsion in Balinese's thoughts. Schuldig ran his hands down to grasp Kudoh's cock; he was right, he was very hard, and a decent size too._

_"You slut, Kudoh. You're enjoying this, aren't you?"_

_He let Fujimiya's cock fall from his mouth. "Fuck off. You seriously think I'd even touch a shithead like you if you didn't force me?"_

_Schuldig chuckled. "You don't really think I'm such a shithead," he said. "You know you should. But you want me." He concentrated on Balinese's mind for a moment, giving his cock a few experimental strokes. "You like my butt, you like my skinny little waist, and you want to feel my hair across your back. You like my hair. You have a thing for redheads."_

_Balinese's dick throbbed in his hand._

_/If I could get my feet free I could kick him in the head and…/_

_Schuldig looked up sharply. "Don't even think it, baby. Get back to sucking your boy, Bali, before he has one too many bright ideas and I have to smack him around some."_

_/I would really enjoy kicking you in the head./_

_Schuldig considered splitting that pale skin, just a little, making Fujimiya's bitch drink his lover's bright, crimson lifeblood. But he only contemplated it briefly. That was Farfarello's kink; Schuldig found the mind games far more gratifying than the physical._

_"That's not all you'd enjoy, though. You don't really mind_ that _much, do you? You've learned a lot from your whore. You're just as interested in getting your cock sucked as he is in sucking it."_

_Abyssinian glared, but there was no denial._

_Schuldig returned his attention to Balinese, who was still folded over in front of him, hanging on to Abyssinian's hips, his lips just a few inches from his lover's straining cock._

_"Alright, you can suck it again. Don't let him come yet, though."_

_Kudoh eagerly complied. Schuldig released the cascade of his flame-bright hair from its ponytail and whipped Kudoh's back with it, shaking his head from side to side._

_/Oh fuck, the hair, the hair… I'm sorry, baby, but you have to grow your hair as long as this…/_

 _Balinese's golden skin quivered under the caress of Schuldig's silky hair, his fingers gripping Abyssinian's hips tighter, his mouth sucking his cock harder, taking it all the way down his throat. Schuldig traced his fingers softly over nerve endings brought acutely to life by his hair, pressing his groin suggestively against Kudoh's backside._

_Balinese pushed back, glorious pressure against Schuldig's aching erection._

_/God, he's big, can I take all that?/_

_Schuldig reached into the pocket of his long green jacket and retrieved a tube of lubricant. "This'll help, baby. Can't have you too sore to do it twice, can we? Hmmm.. if you're real good," he carried on talking as he spread Balinese's firm, pliant buttocks and squirted a large blob of lube at the top of his crack, "if you're real, real good I might let Abyssinian have you after me." He raised his eyes to meet the eyes that haunted his dreams. "You don't mind sloppy seconds, do you Fujimiya?"_

_Kudoh groaned, and Abyssinian's mind screamed outrage._

 _"Your whore wants it bad, Abby. Don't you give him enough at home?" Schuldig spread the lube down to Kudoh's pink pucker of an asshole and thrust a finger roughly inside._

 "_Just get it over with, shithead." /God that feels good. No! It doesn't! It can't! But… oh, fuckfuckfuckfuck…/_

 _"I'm taking all the time I like. You're in no position to argue, after all," chuckled Schuldig, adding a second finger and stretching._

 _/At least he's taking the time to get me ready. Maybe there's a scrap of feeling in the guy after all./_

_"Or it could be that I don't like to get all chafed," Schuldig said._

 _"Get out of my head."_

 "_Sorry. Not going to happen. It's so wonderfully dirty in there, see?" Schuldig unzipped his pants and extricated his long cock, slapping it against Balinese's backside. "You hate what I'm doing but on the other hand… there's a bit of Kudoh Yohji that really loves being all helpless, having an excuse to act like the dirty whore you are. Get your mouth round that dick and shut up. Try not to bite down if this hurts, eh."_

_Balinese did as he was told, swearing prodigiously, if silently, at Schuldig all the while._

_He quickly slathered his erection with lube and positioned it at Kudoh's entrance, savouring the brief moment of fearful anticipation in Kudoh's mind before he slid inside. Balinese jumped, once; Schuldig reached round and stroked his cock, soothing, distracting, while he pushed all the way inside._ God, _that's good._

_/Fuck, he _is_ big. Feels… full. Good. Mmm… stuffed at both ends…/_

_/Maybe I could spurt a load in Kudoh's mouth first and _then _try to escape.../_

_They settled into a comfortably rhythm. Every time Schuldig thrust into Kudoh's tight passage he forced him to swallow Abyssinian's length down all the way; when he pulled back for the next thrust Balinese backed off too, sliding firm lips down his lover's throbbing shaft. Schuldig jerked Kudoh's own cock in counterpoint, giving both of them just enough distraction to keep them from shooting._

_It was a thing halfway between violence and lust, and as their passion rose it was harder to tell the difference between the two. Schuldig pounded Kudoh's ass mercilessly, stopping every now and then to caress his back with his soft hair, or to slap his butt hard enough to leave a mark._

_As he would have guessed, Kudoh came first, his cry of ecstasy muffled by the stiff cock in his mouth, splattering globs of white onto the rough wooden floor. Schuldig looked up at Abyssinian, a picture of male perfection, his eyes closed, restrained hips straining as he fucked Balinese's mouth._

_/God, baby, your mouth feels so good… I want to fill that mouth with my come, pump it down your throat and know I'm inside you, in your belly, inside you, fuck, fuck, fuck/_

Who'd've guessed that Abyssinian would be such a dirty thinker? _Schuldig smirked._

_He pulled Balinese back sharply, wrenching his mouth from Fujimiya's dick just as it erupted, lurching in the empty air and spraying Kudoh's face with its hot, sticky fluid._

_Schuldig reached forwards and smeared it around Kudoh's mouth, slipping coated fingertips between friction-swollen lips to be sucked, slamming his cock into the welcoming suction of his body, until he felt his balls clench up tight. He pulled out at the last minute and jerked his huge dick frantically for the few seconds it took before the come was forced up his shaft to drench Kudoh's back and his butt and cover his asshole, again and again like it would never end…_

 

"Doesn't it bother you that he's going to kill you?"

_Fuck_. Rudely brought back to his senses, Schuldig turned his head from the window to look at the girl over one shoulder. She was still sitting there sullenly, her back against the wall, and they were alone.

There was no naked Abyssinian cuffed and vulnerable, no Balinese willing to act the whore.

So much for that little fantasy.

The warehouse office was cold, and dusty; just two bare, abandoned rooms separated by a thin plasterboard partition and illuminated starkly by a single strip light. The girl was hard work, and he was beginning to wonder if she'd even be useful as bait. She'd been much easier to deal with the last time he'd kidnapped her, comatose and whimsically beautiful. This version was as mean as Abyssinian himself. She'd even managed to _bite_ him when he'd tied her hands.

The thought of Abyssinian trying to bite him asserted itself suddenly, and not unpleasantly, in his mind.

"You're drooling."

He ignored that, surreptitiously wiping his mouth on the back of his hand as he turned back to the window.

"He's not going to kill me, sweetheart. He'll do anything for you. That includes not killing me. And a few other interesting things I have planned."

Aya-chan snorted. "In your dreams."

Schuldig smiled.

_Too right._

* * * * * * * *

"What d'you mean, somewhere around there?! Can't you be a bit more specific? There must be a dozen warehouses there!"

Omi bit his lip, peering anxiously at the computer screen. "I'm sorry, Aya-kun. The tracer's good, but it can only narrow it down to a certain radius… we'll still have to go and search."

"Alright. It'll do. I'm going." Aya took one last glance at the map on the screen and started for the door.

Yohji put a firm hand on his arm. "Uniform," he said. "Just in case."

Ran looked about to protest, but he knew Yohji was right.

"And we _all_ go," Yohji added. "We've no idea who we might come across."

"Actually I have an idea," said Ken. "It could be Schuldig."

"Schuldig?! The Schwartz bastard?" Yohji exclaimed, feeling Ran tense tighter than ever beside him. "Why? They haven't been seen since the night we left them in the river under a building."

"I saw him tonight," explained Ken. "I was on my way home and he was walking down the street on the opposite side of the road. I don't think he saw me. It's too much of a coincidence, surely?"

"Maybe it was mind control!" exclaimed Ran. "That's why she was suddenly interested in the sword, and got it into her head to run away, and…"

"No, Ran," Yohji gently squeezed Ran's arm. "That was just hormones. And some other stuff. It was still Aya-chan. Trust me."

"I want to go," said Omi.

"Me too," said Ken. "She's family, Aya. Let us help."

There was a silence, a moment that felt longer than it really was, while Ran decided what to do. Not so long ago he would have ended the silence with the slam of the door as he left, not caring much whether they followed or not. This time, it ended with a nod, and a grim smile.

Ten minutes later the assassins of Weiss strode out into the night.

Ronin curled up next to Aya's abandoned kitty-chan, and waited.

* * * * * * *

Kudoh Yohji flattened himself against the wall, breathing hard.

He gestured to the others to do likewise. "There's a light in the upstairs window," he whispered. "Shadow. Maybe a person."

Ken frowned. "That sounds too careless for Schwartz," he said.

"We don't know for certain it's Schwartz," hissed Yohji, flinging out an arm to stop Aya as he moved towards the door of the warehouse. "Wait, Aya. This is probably a trap."

"So?" Rage was currently winning over the other emotions surging in Ran's mind. "It's my sister."

"And we're not going to get her back by walking into a trap, idiot."

"There's two windows," said Omi. "Both with bars on."

"Two downstairs entrances," added Yohji. "One to the main entrance, the other one looks like it goes straight up to the office."

"There's probably a way up from the inside, too," Omi suggested.

"Okay. You and Ken take the main entrance, Yohji and I are going straight up." Aya strained against Yohji's grasp. "What?!"

"It just has to be a trap." said Yohji. " What if there _isn't_ a way up from inside? That would leave us two down. Let's make sure first."

"Yohji, we don't have time. If it's Schuldig he already knows we're here. If it's anyone else…"

"Skylight," said Ken. "There's a skylight on the roof."

"That sounds better," said Aya. "Alright. I'll take the skylight. Yohji, Omi, you distract him. Ken, try the back way if you can. If not, follow me through the roof. Now."

Yohji released his arm, resisting an urge to kiss him for luck, and settling for a nod and a meaningful look in the dark instead.

Aya trailed his fingers over Yohji's for the barest moment, before he stalked off into the night.

* * * * * * *

Yohji crept up the stairs, Omi at his back, listening carefully. There was a door at the top, outlined in a thin line of white light that escaped from the other side. Yohji paused, one hand on his watch, and let Omi push in front of him to open the door.

Schuldig was waiting. One hand on Aya-chan's bound wrists, eyes trained on the opening door at the other end of the room.

Yohji saw the glint of gunmetal from the corner of his eye.

"Omi!" he warned.

But Omi had seen Aya-chan, was already breaking into a run.

Schuldig fired twice; the first shot splintered through the door just in front of Yohji's face.

"Omi, no!"

Omi fell to the floor with a surprised look on his face, not understanding why his leg suddenly didn't work any more.

Yohji stood his ground, looking Schuldig in the eye, breathing hard. Concentrating. The room was small and narrow, a wide gap in the partition leading through into what had probably been the main office when the warehouse was in use. Yohji's back was to the window; Schuldig leaned against the opposite wall, the gap to his right. There had to be some way to disarm him...

"No," said Schuldig. "If you throw a wire for the gun, it might just go off. You don't want that, do you?"

He turned the gun deliberately to point at Aya-chan's head.

She was trembling, a fierce expression on her face that reminded Yohji grimly of Ran. Her thin wrists were bound with rope; Yohji could see faint red marks where she'd tried to struggle free.

"Omi?"

Omi choked at the pain that was suddenly making itself felt in his brain, trying nonetheless to pull himself upright. His left thigh was a mess of blood already.

"Stay still, Omi. I'll take care of this."

Schuldig laughed. "Really? That'll be fun. Come on, then, Balinese. What's it to be? You gonna risk it and rush me? Or are you just going to keep me occupied until Abyssinian drops in from the heavens?"

As if on cue, there was a soft thud from behind the partition as Ran jumped through the skylight; Schuldig nodded his head towards the opening in the wall. "See? Far too predictable. I didn't even have to read your mind to work that one out."

There was a moment of stillness.

Aya gripped his katana and stared intently at Schuldig, trying to keep his mind empty of his intentions.

"Don't, Abyssinian. I would rather keep her alive, but she's not _that_ important anymore."

"What do you want?" hissed Yohji.

Aya-chan suddenly made a move to pull herself away from Schuldig's grasp, taking him so much by surprise that he almost lost his grip on her arm.

"Idiot!" he hissed. "Don't try that again or you'll be joining your boyfriend there in the land of pain!"

She turned to glare at him, and he glared back, but he was unnerved.

He hadn't seen it coming.

He couldn't read her mind. Or at least, not clearly. The inside of her head seemed like a jumble of strong emotions, hardly a coherent thought to be plucked anywhere.

Damn. Of all the luck.

"Fuck off," she snarled. He felt her body relax, though. Surrender.

Aya moved to the edge of the room to gain a clear view through the gap in the partition, fighting down the immense hatred he felt to try and apply some kind of logic. From what he could hear it sounded as though one of the shots he'd heard had got Omi, but Yohji sounded okay, so the second must have missed. He gripped the hilt of his katana so hard his knuckles were white, looking for the split second when Schuldig was off guard.

He heard Yohji's voice.

"What did you say you wanted?"

_That's it, Yohji. Keep him talking._

"I just want a little fun." Schuldig looked over towards Aya with a grin. "Balinese and I can keep talking if you want, Abyssinian. We could talk _dirty_ if you want. Would you like that?"

Aya growled deep in his throat, trying with all his strength to keep himself from launching a futile attack on the telepath.

"Ah. The fourth Weiss. This should be interesting. Can you still control your pack, Fujimiya? Or are they a little out of control these days?"

The door to his right opened slowly and Ken emerged, his line of sight showing him Aya-chan, Schuldig and beyond, the bleeding Omi all at once. He charged towards the opening in the partition with a roar; Aya barely made it in time to stop him. He grabbed him by the shoulder and flung him back with such force that he hit his head against the wall behind them. Ken cried out briefly in pain and surprise, and sank, unconscious, to the floor.

Aya span back to Schuldig, breathing hard.

"No more surprises, then," said Schuldig. "That's a shame. This was much easier than I thought."

He looked from Aya back to Yohji, nuzzling the barrel of the gun into the soft curls of hair at Aya-chan's temple.

"I have a little game you two might like," he said. "But first of all, let's lose the sword, Fujimiya. I trust Kudoh not to be stupid, but you're the one who went after every Takatori in Japan armed only with that stupid blade and a death-wish. Put it down."

Aya held his gaze, teeth gritted, sword held in front of him, the tip quivering just a little.

Schuldig turned slightly towards him, and nodded towards the gun in his hand. "Give me the sword, Fujimiya."

Aya's katana clattered to the floor.

"Come and get it, Schuldig."

"Oh, for fuck's sake…"

Schuldig headed towards the partition, dragging Aya-chan behind him. She pulled back, trying to gain purchase on the rough flooring, but could barely slow him down.

She heard Yohji's voice, flung out to help her: "Aya-chan! Don't resist!" She knew the words. Tomoru Sensei would repeat them again and again as he struggled to teach her the basic techniques of Aikido. She had once dared to argue with him; she was strong, and surely she was there to develop that strength, to be more like Ran, to learn to fight. But every forceful move she made was met with the same admonition. "No strength! If you only use strength, what happens when you meet someone stronger? Don't _resist_!"

So she would not resist.

Schuldig wrenched Aya-chan forwards as he dragged her past the partition, and this time, she followed. Adding her weight to his pull, she thrust her bound arms across his body, past him and across his throat, turning, turning him, turning the gun away from her. _Irimi_, entering, more an exercise than a technique, but enough, just enough to get him off balance and get past him.

It was all Aya needed. He threw himself between them even as Schuldig cursed in surprise and let off a round wildly and harmlessly at the ceiling; Aya-chan called Aya's name and tossed his katana even as Yohji's wire shot towards Schuldig's hand to whip the gun away.

Aya caught the sword deftly, and raised it to strike, but Schuldig was already on his way, leaping effortlessly to the skylight above and behind them. Gone. Aya followed, despite Aya-chan's desperate cry for him not to.

"It's okay, sweetheart. He's just making sure he's not planning on hanging around," Yohji reassured softly, swiftly releasing her from the ropes that had burned her wrists.

She looked up at him, panic in her eyes.

"Omi!" She turned to see the youngest assassin leaning in the doorway, trying to hide a grimace. He managed a grim smile as she flung her arms around him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," lied Omi, whispering something Yohji couldn't quite catch into her ear.

She gave him a brief hug and let him go. There was a loud groan of "what the fuck…" from corner of the room as Ken regained consciousness.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" said Yohji to Aya-chan, softly.

"Yes, but Ran…"

"It's alright. He'll be back in a minute, I promise. Then we'll get Omi to the hospital."

"I'm fine, Yohji-kun," admonished Omi, his face so grey Yohji was amazed he hadn't already passed out.

"I'm not sure I am," murmured Ken. "What the fuck'd he do that for?"

"There was a gun," said Yohji, throwing him an angry look. "Did you not notice the gun?"

"Oh." Ken rubbed his temples. "Shit. Sorry. I thought if I got the element of surprise, maybe…"

Yohji rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything. He had a feeling Ran was going to say plenty to Ken for all of them.

There was a whoosh of air and a soft thud as Ran dropped down through the skylight. He was breathing hard.

_Yep_, thought Yohji. _Still love it when he does that._

"No sign," he panted. "He's gone."

He caught his breath, and locked his gaze with Aya-chan's.

"Ran, I…"

Omi fell to the floor with a thud.

* * * * * * *

The sun was rising by the time they got back from the hospital. Aya-chan sat next to Yohji in the back seat of Ran's Porsche, staring out of the window. She'd hardly said a word since they left the warehouse.

"I'm really sorry," Ken was saying. "I didn't see the gun, I…"

"Shut up, Hidaka," growled Ran. "You're way out of control. If you don't start paying attention…"

"Tomorrow," said Yohji. "Let's not do this now."

Ran's eyes met his in the rear view mirror, and Yohji gave the faintest of nods in Aya-chan's direction.

Ran grunted.

"At least Omi's alright," said Ken. "Although he's not going to like being stuck in hospital for a week."

"Hey, you know what that means?" Yohji leaned back with a grin, folding his hands behind his head. "No-one to nag us to do chores."

Aya-chan threw a sidelong glance in his direction, and the faintest of smiles.

They arrived back at the Koneko in the grey half-light. Yawning, Ken said goodnight and staggered up the stairs, leaving the three of them standing in the kitchen. Ran unbuttoned his coat, and busied himself with washing up the glass of water he'd poured earlier.

Yohji took a beer from the fridge, watching Aya-chan out of the corner of his eye.

"I'm proud of you, princess," he said, eventually.

There was a glimmer of satisfaction in her eyes, along with regret. "I was stupid to get into the situation in the first place," she said. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," said Yohji, evenly. "You're alright. That's all that matters. Right, Ran?"

"Of course," said Ran, a little gruffly.

"Well, um… I'll go check on Ronin," said Yohji, heading for the stairs down to the mission room. "Tell him we're back safe, and all." He left the two of them alone, hoping that somehow they might sort something out before they both exploded with repressed feelings.

When he returned a few minutes later, Ronin clasped in one hand and kitty-chan in the other, they were still standing there, Ran drying the glass painfully slowly while Aya traced patterns in the spilt salt on the kitchen table.

"Here," said Yohji, popping Ronin on her shoulder. He butted her neck forcefully with his little blunt nose, purring loudly. "And you dropped this." He offered her the little stuffed animal.

She reached out her hand to take it from him, holding it gently with slightly shaking fingers. She looked down into its blue plastic eyes and burst into tears; huge, gut-wrenching sobs that shook her whole body, alarming Ronin so much that he leapt from her shoulder to the table and sat down suddenly, confused.

Ran dropped the glass, oblivious as it smashed on the floor, and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight.

"Shhh…"

"Ran, I got Omi shot and I'm so stupid and you could all have been killed or tortured and I'm an idiot and I'm so _sorry_…"

"Shhh… it's alright, chibi. It's alright."

"I was so angry I couldn't think straight and I was so mad at you and you were only trying to keep me safe, and… how could I _do_ that to you, and I'm so, so sorry…"

"Shhhh… You were brave, Aya. Very brave. I'm proud of you, too, you know."

Yohji scratched Ronin soothingly behind the ears, and watched as Ran comforted his sister, a lump in his throat.

"Y-Yohji…" she stammered after a while, waggling one hand behind her to beckon him. "C'mere."

"On my way, sweetheart." He took her hand and let her pull him close, wrapping his long arms easily around both of them, kissing the top of her head. "You're safe now."

"Yohji?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"My stomach hurts."

"I know, baby. How about you go up to bed? Ran'll make you a hot water bottle and bring you chocolate."

"You," she sniffed. "Ran bring hot water bottle, you bring chocolate. And Ronin."

"Whatever you say, sweetheart," Yohji smiled.

She slowly pulled her way out of their arms, still clasping kitty-chan to her heart. "Thank you." She smiled weakly, and set off up the stairs.

Ran filled the kettle as Yohji swept up the broken glass.

"Are you okay?" Yohji asked quietly, reaching under the table with the broom to get the last few shards.

"I've got some thinking to do," said Ran. "But yes. I'm just glad we got her back."

"We can talk to her about it in a few days," suggested Yohji. "When she's… back to normal."

Ran sighed. "I'll tell you one thing, Yohji. I'm glad I'm not a woman."

Yohji nodded, grimly. "Too right," he said. "Too fucking right."

* * * * * * *

Half an hour later Ran and Yohji tiptoed from Aya's room, leaving her fast asleep in bed with Ronin cuddled into her neck and kitty-chan hooked under one arm.

"She looks so young, sometimes," Ran murmured, closing the door of their room behind him and watching as Yohji started to strip out of his clothes.

"She _is_ young, really. She missed a lot, you know. Don't let all the bravery fool you. She's soft as a kitten inside." His smiled lopsidedly. "Trust me. I know my Fujimiyas. You're all alike."

Ran gave him a glare, albeit a brief one, by his standards.

"I can't get over how she is with that stupid kitty-chan," he said. "She never had stuffed toys, even when she was little." He shook his head. "Sometimes I don't think I'll ever understand her."

"Hmm," said Yohji, noncommittally. "Looks like the Aikido training paid off, though."

If Ran noticed the change of subject, he didn't remark on it. He was lost in thought for a moment, stripping his feet of boots and socks, undoing his belt.

"Do you think I should let her try the sword?" he asked, eventually.

Yohji shucked his pants off his long legs, thinking back to that afternoon, the vision of Aya wrapping his wire around her fingers. "It could be worse," he said. "At least with the sword, you can teach her. It doesn't have to be about killing, Ran. She was right about that."

Ran pulled his shirt over his head, shaking his hair loose. "I don't know," he said. "I'll have to think about it."

"Not now," said Yohji, turning back the covers and sliding into bed. "Aw, fuck, it's cold in here. Hurry up. I'm freezing."

Ran ignored him, taking the time to put his clothes away as usual, kicking Yohji's abandoned garments into a pile by the dresser. Only when the room was tidied to his satisfaction did he slip gracefully into bed, allowing a conspicuously shivering Yohji to wrap his arms and one leg around him and snuggle into his neck.

"Better," mumbled Yohji.

Ran raised a hand to stroke Yohji's hair, noticing that in fact it was he rather than Yohji who was cold, and savouring the feeling of warmth seeping from Yohji's body to his.

"Yohji…"

"Well, it's late and all, but I'm up for it if you are."

"No, you slut," he used the term almost affectionately, "I was going to say… what do you think Schuldig wanted? Do you think he's been planning this, or do Schwartz… did he…"

"Tomorrow," said Yohji firmly. "Think about it tomorrow."

"Hn."

There was a short pause.

"Ran…"

"Mmm…"

"You know you've got your hand on my butt."

"Mm."

"Well, it's nice and all, but…"

Ran pressed his body even closer to Yohji's, his stiff cock pushing into the soft flesh of Yohji's belly.

"Do you want to distract me, or not?"

Yohji made a little purring noise in his throat. "Oh yes," he said, and sought out Ran's mouth with his own. They kissed softly, each ruffling the other's hair, tongues fencing lightly. Ran pulled the covers over their bodies, protecting them from the chill morning air, and let his hand rove contentedly over Yohji's skin. Yohji felt like the best thing that had happened to him all day, warm and strong and comparatively straightforward. His emotions were completely wrung out; he'd gone from happy to horny to furious to scared to angry to desperate, and all the way round a few more times before he'd taken refuge in his bed… technically Yohji's bed, but these days it seemed to belong pretty much to both of them.

That was a good feeling. He liked sharing with Yohji. It felt right.

It made Aya-chan happy too, and he so _wanted_ her to be happy. He wanted to understand and…

His mind was flitting like a butterfly, and he couldn't make it stop.

"Yohji…" he murmured into the soft, dark blonde hair under his lips. "Oh, Yohji…"

"I know, love. I know." Yohji brushed Ran's bangs back form his face, rubbing his cheek with one thumb as he looked into his eyes. "Just kiss me, Ran. Let it go."

Ran eagerly brushed Yohji's mouth with his, felt his cock twitch between them, shifted his hips so their erections rubbed together. Ran felt the tingle of pleasure run straight up his spine, warm and comforting and exciting all at once. Their kisses were still soft and lingering, bringing about a tingle all of their own, the gentle wash of tongue and lips lending a sensuous rhythm to their grinding hips.

Yohji reached down and encircled both their shafts with one hand as best he could, moving his grip in a light twisting motion so it felt as if he was covering more flesh than his one hand really could. Ran moaned into Yohji's kiss as he palmed the top of their cocks, spreading precome and rubbing the juncture of their velvety foreskins together. Yohji was panting for breath now, but still he was gentle, running his tongue along the channel between Ran's lower lip and his teeth, stroking the underneath of Ran's tongue with his own, sucking ever so gently on the tip.

"Ran…"

"Mmmm…"

"I want you inside me, Ran. Can you do that for me?"

"Anytime, Kudoh," he said, the soft tone of his voice adding feeling to his flippant words. "Please," he added. He wanted to lose himself in Yohji, to be part of him, and most of all to hide inside him, away from the thoughts that kept going round and round in his head like an interminable fairground ride.

He rolled Yohji slowly onto his back, and reached under the pillow for the lubricant. "Now?" he checked.

Yohji nodded. "Sooner than that would be good," he said, reaching up to tangle his fingers in Ran's hair.

Ran couldn't remember the last time they'd been this tender with each other. Affectionate, yes, but to treat each other as if they were so fragile, so breakable. Perhaps recognising how vulnerable they were, when Aya-chan had so nearly been taken from them…

_Can't stop thinking…_

He whimpered as he spread lube carefully around Yohji's entrance, pressing gently at the puckered lips of his anus until they fluttered under his touch, opening for him and granting access to Yohji's body. He slid first one, then two fingers inside, exploring, stroking, stretching. He watched Yohji's face, his eyes sliding shut, lips parting slightly to let a soft moan escape with his breath. He slicked his own cock quickly, suddenly needing to be inside Yohji _now_, unable to wait any longer, knowing that once he was there the thinking would stop. He positioned himself carefully, steadying his cock with a firm grip around its root, and slid slowly inside.

Yohji moaned again, wrapping his legs around Ran's waist to help pull him deeper and deeper inside him. Ran lowered his head to kiss Yohji's mouth, to smell his hair, shampoo and cigarettes, to feel the warm puffs of his lover's shortening breath on his face.

"Okay?" He asked, when he'd seated himself as far into Yohji's body as he could go, balls nestling happily against the firm flesh of his buttocks.

"Oh, God, yes," husked Yohji. "You feel so good and big and thick and hard and…I'm full and warm and…" Ran silenced him with another kiss, and started to move.

They rocked slowly for a long while, looking into each others' eyes, touching hair and faces and mouths, backing off as the passion mounted, and Ran finally let his thoughts go. He let himself get lost in the feeling of Yohji's body sucking and holding and caressing, until eventually he forgot to stop one time as he felt his balls tighten, aching and full; he reached between them to give Yohji a hand to thrust into and concentrated for as long as he could on bringing Yohji pleasure. It took some effort; Yohji was tired and the intensity was too great at first, but Ran simply changed his stroke, moving his hand a little faster, stroking Yohji's prostate with the head of his cock, coating his hand with lube so he could move it faster, more smoothly over Yohji's iron-hard sex.

When he finally came, Yohji came hard, crying out Ran's name, arching his back and jerking his hips, pumping hot semen over his chest and belly, slick and wet. Ran scooped up as much as he could with his hand and brought it to his lips to taste. It was the look in Yohji's eyes as he did this that finally made him come himself, the idea that Yohji was watching with such devoted, helpless adoration as Ran lapped up his ejaculate and steadily fucked his ass. He pushed home one last time, his whole body trembling as he spurted endlessly into Yohji's tight body, so deep and hot and… peaceful…

He fought to regain his breath, gasping, mind lost in the silky caress of Yohji's fingertips up and down his spine, the same rhythm as their lovemaking. Back and forth, back and forth, back and…

At some point his soft cock slipped out of Yohji's body, and Ran curled up in the crook of Yohji's protective arm, eyes closed all the while. By the time Yohji had pulled the covers back over them both, he was fast asleep.

* * * * * * *

Yohji paused for a moment, watching Omi through the window in the door. He was off the drip, at least, and his skin was a much healthier colour. He was asleep, untidy hair falling away from his face, making him look younger than ever.

Yohji sighed deeply, and pushed the door open.

He crossed the room and put the little vase of freesias carefully on the little cupboard next to the bed. Corny, maybe, but Aya-chan had insisted. He fingered the envelope in his pocket, wondering how he could possibly have resisted opening it. Maybe it wasn't too late. Maybe he should take a peek, in Aya-chan's best interests…

"Yohji-kun?"

He started guiltily, masking the expression swiftly with a warm smile.

"Omi. How you doing?"

"Better," said Omi, cornflower eyes huge and innocent as ever. "They say another few days, in case it got infected."

"Well, that's probably for the best. Anything you need, chibi?"

Omi shook his head, pulling himself to sitting with a grimace as the tortured muscle in his leg protested. "No, thanks. Manx was here earlier, she sorted out the bills and paperwork and stuff. You really should've called her before you brought me here, you know. Kritiker hate to do the mopping up with the police after the event."

Yohji snorted. "Sorry, Omi, but you weren't in any state to hang around while we went through any shit with Persia."

"Hm," Omi conceded. "I was a bit reckless, I guess, huh Yohij-kun?"

"Yes," said Yohji sternly. "And I need to talk to you about that…"

"Oh, thanks for the flowers," said Omi, reaching out a hand to touch the frail petals. "It's crazy but I hate not having them around. Feels odd, somehow."

"They were Aya-chan's idea," Yohji admitted. "She would have come herself, but… you know how she is about hospitals. And Ran had to give Ken a lecture."

"Oh," said Omi. "Well, he was a bit reckless. But not as stupid as me."

"You weren't stupid, Omi," said Yohji, capturing his friend's ocean-deep gaze with his own, steeling himself against all that apparent innocence and vulnerability. "You acted like any guy would if he saw his girlfriend with a gun to her head."

_I would have done the same. If I could have, I would have taken the shot for Asuka. I'd take it for Ran. _

"Girlfriend, Yohji-kun?"

Yohji took a deep breath, and forced himself to continue to look Omi in the eye.

"I'm not stupid, Omi." He thought for a beat. "Not when it comes to things like this, anyway."

"Things…"

"If you're going to say 'things like what', forget it. Let's move on from that little game, eh?"

Omi closed his mouth, and the innocence faded from his eyes just a little.

"How long?" asked Yohji.

Omi hesitated, fiddling with the hem of the starched hospital sheet. "Five weeks and three days," he confessed, eventually.

"Five weeks and three days. Hm. And you were going to tell me and Aya _when_, exactly, Omi?"

Omi looked up at him a little sheepishly. He even looked a bit scared, Yohji noted with satisfaction.

"We were just waiting… for the right moment, Yohji-kun."

"And what moment might that have been? Before or after the wedding?"

"Yohji-kun! We've only been dating for five weeks and…"

"…Three days, yes, I heard you."

Yohji gave him a long look. He'd known Omi for a long time, seen him grow from a cute teenager into… a technically older cute teenager. He knew Omi was loyal, cheerful, brave and kind. He was probably good-looking, if you liked the shota-genki look. He reluctantly had to admit he could see why Aya-chan might have fallen for him.

But he was a lot less straightforward and honest than he looked. And a Takatori. However much Ran said Omi was Omi and nothing to do with his biological family, Yohji knew his nightmares told him different.

_Why, of all people, a Takatori, Aya-chan? Are you_ trying _to give Ran a hard time?_

"Yohji-kun?" Omi looked at him as if awaiting punishment.

"I take it it's serious?"

"Um."

"You don't give stuffed toys to women if you're not serious. Come on, Omi, I'm the expert here, remember."

Omi's eyes grew a little misty. "I love her, Yohji-kun. With all my heart."

_Oh God. Teenage passion. Poetry and hormones and making out in cars. Those were the days…_

"I never meant for her to know I liked her, but it hurt so much I thought I'd die.

"So you asked her out?"

"Um…" Omi toyed with the plastic identity strap around his wrist. "Not exactly."

Yohji raised one eyebrow in query.

"I sent her an e-mail."

That one was new even to Yohji. "An e-mail?! For goodness sake, Omi, I know you're a geek, but…"

"I didn't mean to," said Omi, weakly. "I was just… pretending. I thought maybe it would get it out of my system. I shouldn't have put her address in," he mused. "I was about to delete it but Ken came in the room and I hit send by mistake…"

Yohji fought hard not to laugh.

"I tried to tell her it was a joke, but… she just… kissed me, Yohji-kun."

Not laughing suddenly got a lot easier. "Kissed you?"

Omi nodded, looking as if he were ready to flinch from a blow.

Yohji forced himself to think carefully. He knew Aya-chan was nineteen years old. Even if you took off the two years she'd slept, she was still seventeen years old. She wasn't a little girl; she was a young woman. By the time Yohji was her age he'd been with… well, more than one girl. And a man. But however hard he told himself that, he couldn't somehow contemplate _Aya_, Ran's sister Aya, having sex with anyone.

Least of all Omi.

Yohji wondered briefly if he was getting old.

"Yohji-kun," Omi ventured, hesitantly. "We haven't done anything… wrong."

_Try that one on Ran_, thought Yohji. "I should fucking hope not," he said, sternly.

Omi drew back a little, but his sky-blue eyes grew unusually fierce. "I love her, Yohji-kun," he said, as if it made everything alright.

Yohji fixed his eyes on the freesias for a moment.

_Maybe he does, at that._

"You know Ran's not going to like it," he said.

"Yes," said Omi, sadly. "Aya-chan doesn't like keeping secrets," he added. "In fact we were wondering…"

Yohji's eyes darted swiftly back to Omi's. "Oh no you don't," he hissed.

"Yohji-kun?"

"You were going to ask me to tell Ran for you."

"But it would be so much better coming from you," pleaded Omi. "He listens to you, and…"

"I don't know where you got _that_ idea," said Yohji. "And no. I'm not sure I approve myself, I'm certainly not going to even try and tell Ran what to think."

"Aya-chan's scared he'll lose his temper and…"

"What? Chop you into Omi-granules? Yes. That sounds likely." Yohji scrubbed his eyes with his palms and ran his fingers through his hair. "I came here to tell you to keep your mucky hands off her," he said. "I probably still should."

Omi just looked at him.

"You really think you love her, eh chibi?"

Omi nodded. Yohji could practically see tears welling in those huge eyes.

_Damn._

Yohji dipped his fingers into his pocket, stroking the rough velum of the envelope that lay there. "I don't know if I can tell Ran," he said. "I'll get back to you on that one. But I'll tell you one thing."

He put one hand on Omi's injured leg, just below the knee, firmly enough that he could feel the bulge of the thick bandages through the covers.

Omi gave him his rapt attention.

"If you ever, _ever_ hurt her, you'd better make sure Ran gets to you first. Do you understand?" There was an edge of steel to his voice, a flash of darkness in his eyes, a glimpse of the killer Omi knew Yohji could be.

Omi swallowed hard, and nodded. "Yes, Yohji-kun," he whispered.

Yohji blinked, and the killer was gone.

He got to his feet with a melodramatic sigh. "And no further than first base until you're both twenty five," he said.

"Well, um, actually, Yohji-kun…"

Yohji slapped a hand over Omi's mouth. "Not wanting to know, Omi. Just be careful, alright?"

Omi nodded mutely.

"Good. I'm glad we understand each other. She asked me to give you this." He pulled the envelope out of his pocket and handed it to Omi. "And I haven't looked," he said, proudly.

Omi gave him a weak smile. "Thank you, Yohji-kun."

"You're welcome. Now, I have to go." He winked conspiratorially at Omi, who was looking suddenly weary. "Get well soon, chibi."

Omi watched Yohji leave, clutching Aya-chan's letter to his heart.

_All things considered,_ he thought, as he breathed the fresh scent of Aya-chan's perfume drifting up from the envelope in his hand, _that could have gone worse._

Although on the whole, it had felt less dangerous getting shot.

* * * * * * *

Ran looked suspiciously at the package that lay on the bed between them.

"A present?"

"Yes," said Yohji. "Strange, I know, but there you have it."

"It's not my birthday."

"No, I know. It was just and idea I had."

"An idea?" Ran looked at him as if this was an even more disconcerting notion than the present.

Yohji sighed. "Just open it, Ran."

Ran tackled the ribbon around the box as if he were diffusing a bomb.

"It's a pink box," he noted.

Yohji shrugged. "Just came like that."

There was a long moment as Ran took the lid off the box, and cautiously peeked inside.

Yohji held his breath, and watched Ran's face carefully.

His eyes went wide for a moment, and then, very slowly, a grin spread across his face.

Not a Ran-patented mini-smile. A grin. A dirty, horny _grin._

"Handcuffs, Yohji?" he asked. Grinning.

Yohji felt himself smile stupidly back at him.

"Pink, furry handcuffs?" Ran took them out of the box.

"Well, you don't want to hurt me," he said. "At least, not much," he added.

Ran held up the cuffs, dangling them from one finger, swinging hypnotically from side to side. "You did say Ken's got late night soccer practice?" he said.

Yohji nodded, sidling a little closer.

"And Omi and Aya-chan are studying at the library together?"

He nodded again, carefully keeping his face neutral. _I hope. Oh, God, I hope that's all they're doing._

"So we have a little time…"

Yohji swept the empty box off the bed, and offered Ran his wrists.

"I'm all yours," he suggested.

Ran pounced.

Grinning.

* * * * * * *

Ronin crawled out from under the bed, disturbed by creaking bedsprings and a certain amount of unmanly squealing. He yawned and stretched, pulling his furry little body into a quivering arch. He padded about drunkenly for a moment, still bleary with slumber, before he came across the little pink box.

After some sniffing and careful consideration, he stepped carefully inside. He rustled the tissue paper about until it formed a satisfactory nest and sat down with a little chirrupy noise.

And then, ignoring the cavorting assassins on the bed, Ronin yawned and promptly went back to sleep.  



End file.
